Ramseytown, North Carolina

Ramseytown, formerly known as Ramsaytown and Ramsey Town Baptist Church,[4][5] is an unincorporated community in far northern Yancey County, North Carolina, on the Cane River. Yancey County's Ramseytown Township derives its name from the settlement.

Ramseytown, North Carolina
Unincorporated community
A suspension bridge over the Cane River, Ramseytown
A suspension bridge over the Cane River, Ramseytown
Ramseytown is located in North Carolina
Ramseytown
Ramseytown
Location within the state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 36°0′2.40″N 82°21′26.48″W
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyYancey
IncorporatedFebruary 11, 1874
DisincorporatedUnknown
Named forRamsey Family of Yancey County, NC
Area
 • Total0.79 sq mi (2.0 km2)
 • Land0.715 sq mi (1.85 km2)
 • Water0.075 sq mi (0.19 km2)
Elevation
2,303[1] ft (996 m)
Highest elevation
(Julius Knob[2])
3,822 ft (1,165 m)
Lowest elevation
(Cane River[3])
2,099 ft (640 m)
Population
 • Estimate 
(2020)
~45
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28714
Area code828
GNIS feature ID1022144

History

A U.S. Post Office bearing the name of Ramsaytown was established on November 5, 1852, with the first postmaster being Abraham Whitsen. It ceased operations on February 29, 1956.[4] The community was incorporated by the North Carolina General Assembly on February 11, 1874 as Ramsey Town Baptist Church, and the municipal limits were defined as a circle of one mile in radius, centered on the local baptist church. It was disincorporated on an unknown date. Alcoholic beverages consisting of 21% alcohol by volume or greater were illegal in the town, and the municipality's council was composed of five members.[5]

During World War I, five men from Ramseytown were drafted.[6]

The official name of the town, as recognized by the federal government, was changed from Ramsaytown to Ramseytown on January 1, 1931.[7]

On April 21, 1948, local railroad engineer Clarence Davenport (July 24, 1894–April 21, 1948) was killed in a boiler explosion near Ramseytown, described as one of the worst locomotive explosions in United States history at the time. The locomotive's fireman also perished in the blast.[8]

The community was home to the Ramsey Mine.[9]

Transportation and infrastructure

U.S. Route 19W runs through the community.[10] The community was formerly served by the Clinchfield Railroad.[8]

Ramseytown shares a fire department, the Egypt-Ramseytown Volunteer Fire Department, with the nearby unincorporated community of Egypt, North Carolina.[11] The department receives $21,037.50 in funding from the State of North Carolina as of 2023.[12]

U.S. Route 19W in Ramseytown

Weather

Ramseytown was the site of an EF1 tornado during the Tornado outbreak sequence of August 4–8, 2023. Tornadoes are exceptionally rare in the area.[13]

References
  1. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "National Weather Service". forecast.weather.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  2. "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  3. "OpenStreetMap". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  4. "Yancey County Post Offices 1833 to 1971 - Alphabetical Order". www.carolana.com. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  5. State of North Carolina (1874). Laws and Resolutions of the State of North Carolina, Passed by the General Assembly at Its Session, 1873-'74. Compiled by Turner, Josiah, Jr. (1873-'74 ed.). Raleigh, North Carolina: J. Gales & Son, 1874. p. 382.
  6. "Local Draft Board Records, Yancey County - North Carolina Digital Collections". digital.ncdcr.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  7. "Geographic Names Information System". edits.nationalmap.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. Gardner, Tim (2023-04-21). "Locomotive Explosion Killing Avery County Engineer Ed Davenport Recalled on the Tragedy's 75th Anniversary". High Country Press. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  9. https://www.mindat.org/loc-27605.html
  10. "NCRoads.com: U.S. 19-W". www.vahighways.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  11. "Egypt-Ramseytown - wncfirepics". www.wncfirepics.com. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  12. https://www.ncosfm.gov/2023-fire-grant-recipients/open
  13. Newman, Anne (16 August 2023). "Tornado touched down in Yancey County, NWS confirms". WYFF4. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
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